Device to produce a straight line or multiple of lines on a typewriter



March 27, 1956 A. DAL MOLIN 2,739,689

DEVICE TO PRODUCE A STRAIGH INE OR MULTIPLE OF LINES ON A TYP RITERFiled April 21, 1953 IN VEN TOR. ARM ANDO DAL MOLIN IML AIIWENE') DEVICET PRODUCE A STRAIGHT LINE 0R MULTIPLE OF LINES ON A TYPEWRITE'R Thisinvention relates to typewriters and more particularly to a device forproducing a straight line or a multiple of straight lines on atypewriter.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a devicewhich will produce a straight horizontal line or a plurality of straighthorizontal lines in parallel spaced relation to each other and of anypredetermined thickness or combination of thicknesses like border lines,of a ruled-like quality, much improved over the standard underscores andborders produced on a standard typewriter in the conventional manner bystriking repeatedly a key bearing a type with the desired lines on it.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of theabove type which may be readily and easily installed on conventionaltypewriters to permit the typing of a straight horizontal line or aplurality of straight horizontal lines in parallel spaced relation toeach other.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a deviceof the above type which may be used to permit the typewriter to type aplurality of parallel spaced straight lines across the paper torepresent the stafif of a musical score.

Another object of this invention is to provide a standard typewriterwith a general means of obtaining a perfectly placed impression, devoidin the resulting writing of misalignment or misprints of characters dueto the springing action of the.type .bars occurring while the type bartravels from the idle position to the point of impact on the roller ofthe typewriter, said general means consisting of dividing the typingaction in two distinct operations; the first being to bring the selected,key in striking position by pressing the correspondent key on thekeyboard, the second being to impart to the key standing very close tothe paper an additional blow by means of a hammerlike separated key toprovoke the impression on the paper.

Other objects of the present invention are to produce a device bearingthe above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensiveto manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is easy to use and iseflicient in operation.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Since this invention covers all different types of typewriters, themeans of accomplishing the aforesaid device are slightly diiferent witheach make of typewriter. The following drawings cover the part of theinvention applicable to all standard typewriters:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front perspective view of a typewriter showingthe present invention in operative use thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the partscomprising the invention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modi- Thus, the ribbonwillmove .each

tied form of the invention having a different shape ofpthe back portionof the type bearing the lines to show how to avoid having a separatehammer key.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of two dilferent typebars bearingdiiferent types of lines.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the present invention showing avariation of same with reference to typewriters having the ribbon feedactioned by means of a universal bar.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the front row of keys on astandard typewriter modified to make room'for the underscore key.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, in which similar referencenumerals identify corresponding parts throughout the several views,there is shown in Fig. l a typewriter 10 of conventional constructionincluding the platen roller 11, .the type-bar guide 12and the segment13, substantially as illustrated. The usual standard ribbon carrier 14is provided behind the guide 12 and receives the typewriter ribbon in amanner well known to those skilled in the art.

A type 18 is provided and carries a plurality of print lines 19, thelines 19 being parallel to each other and vertically spaced apart asshown in Fig. 4. The lines 19 are carried on the striking face 20 oftype 18 and are adapted to strike to a common printing center at orabout the horizontal center line of the platen roller 11. Five of theseparallel lines may be used to type the staff of a musical score.

The type 18 is provided with a slot 21 which receives the upper portionof type-bar 15, as shown in Fig. 2. The type 18 is secured in the aboveposition by means of rivets 22 or simply bysoldering.

A hammer 27 is provided with a slot 28 which receives the upper portionof type-bar 25, substantially as illustrated in Fig.2, the hammer 27being secured-to the typebar 25 by means of rivets 29 or by welding.

The type-bar 25 and the hammer 27 thereof normally rest in .a horizontalposition .in the circular type basket,

along with the otherkeys, not shown.

The particular key which causes the type-bar 25 to strike will beappropriately marked to .correspond :to the Straight line markings oftype 18.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and '5, upon striking the key, the hammer 27 willstrike the rear end of type :18,:.ca.using the lines 19 to impressthemselves on the paper through the ribbon.

A special case that enters the scope of this invention occurs withtypewriters having the ribbon feed actioned by means of a universal bar.In this case, it is necessary to keep the ribbon in front of the type 18all the time and yet to leave the universal bar working at the same timeto feed the ribbon through the action of the hammer key as shown in Fig.5.. A pin 23 is attached to the typebar 15 that engages in the slot 24in the ribbon carrier 14 of the typewriter. The type 18 is lifted bypressing the key as usual. The ribbon carrier 14 is brought up manuallyto engage the pin on the bar with the slot in the ribbon carrier.

In this case, the ribbon moves through the standard ribbon carrier 14upon actuation of a lever 30 (see Fig. 5), the means of moving the.lever 30 being set back into a notch 31cut out of type-bar 15, so thatthe lever 30 is in a non-working condition when the type-bar 15 is inthe operative position. 7

With this construction, the ribbon willmove only onthe movement of thehammer key or type-bar 25, which is not provided with a slot and whichtherefore engages the lever 30 upon upward movement ,to .the strikingposition. time-thehammer 27 strikes the back of-type 18.

Thus, the depression of the straight line key causes 3 a conventionallever, not shown, carrying a pin engaging with the slot or opening 32 inthe bottom of type-bar 25 causing the latter to swing upward toward thehorizontal center line of the platen roll 11 and causing the rear end oftype 18 to receive the impact of hammer 27.

Thus, a plurality of straight lines, parallel and spaced from each otherwill be printed on the paper. Such lines are frequently needed inaddition to the conventional type characters and by providing them onthe typewriter, a printing economy will be efiected.

Five of such vertically spaced lines may be provided, as shown in thedrawing, forming thereby the stafi of a musical score.

Should it be desired to print a lesser or greater number I of lines 19on the paper, another head 18 may be substituted for the head 18.

As shown in Fig. 4, the head 18 is provided with a border on upper case,made up of thin line 34 and thick line 35, and a single underscore line36 on lower case.

In other respects the type head 13* is similar to the type head 18 andlike reference numerals identify corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

Thus, to type a plurality of lines from one side of the paper to theother, the straight line type-bar 15 will be raised to the operativeposition by steadily pressing its appropriate key 33 (see Fig. 6).

The key actuating type bar will then be struck successively, causing thehammer 27 to hit the rear end of head 18 each time the key is struck.The result will be an even, smooth plurality of parallel and spacedlines from one side of the page to the other. Should a border orunderscore be desired, the head 18 will, of course, be substituted forthe head 18.

It will be readily seen that the type-bars 15 and 25 may be easilyconnected to standard machines, or if desired, the head 18 and hammer 27may be substituted for type carried by any of the conventional typebars.

The above device can be applied to both standard, round platen and flatplaten, and the hammer key can be operated either manually orelectrically.

The relative position of the type-bar 15 and hammerbar 25 are notnecessarily as in the drawing. They can be anywhere on the segment 13.It is advisable to have the type-bar 15 as close to the center of thebasket as possible. The standard placing of the underscore typebar 11,for example, is ideal. The hammer-bar 25 can be anywhere, even anadditional type-bar at either end of the segment. When different linesthan the plain underscore are Wanted, a separate type is necessary. Tokeep this bar at the center of the keyboard a rearranging of the frontline of keys is preferable, as shown in Fig. 6, the key 33 controllingtype 18. For specialized work type 18 can be interchangeable with otherspreset for the type writer, thus allowing an infinite possibility ofdifferent lines. Fig. 4 shows two types of type, 18 with an underscoreon the lower case and a border on the upper case, and 18, a type fordrawing a music stafl suited for a music writing typewriter. These typescan also be flat, to be used on flat platen machines such as ElliottFisher, Music Writer, and Keaton-type typewriters, etc.

The type 18 is not standardly shaped. It has a protruding part in theback to present a striking surface to the hammer-key 25, (Fig. 2). Theshape of this back portion can be large (Fig. 2) or fairly small (Fig.3). The first shape (18 and 18 is to be used in conjunction with ahammer-bar 25 (Fig. 2). The second shape 18 is to be used when using aregular type-bar 37 as a hammer instead of a bar with a hammer shapedhead (Fig. 3). This latter arrangement requires very slight change inthe standard machine, while at the same time, it allows for a goodunderscore.

The protruding pointed part 38 is located in such a way to clear theengraving (between the two periods) of a standard type and hit in theblank space between the uppercase 39 and the lower case 40 of a type 41.

This latter arrangement is only advisable for the underscore and forlight work, since the impact has the tendency of loosening up the typeused as hammer. To obviate this to a certain extent, it is advisable toequip both the type 18 with lines and the type 41 used as hammer withrivets 22 to increase strength.

The type-bar 15 must be dead or disconnected from the spacing mechanism.This is a standard possibility for any typewriter and does not enter inthe scope of this invention. In operation, simply press with one handthe underscore (or special) key 33 keeping it steadily down whilestriking repeatedly with the other hand the hammer key until line iscompleted. In electric typewriters the underscore key has to be adjustedin such a way as to keep it up against the paper until key is released.A repetitive key should be used for the hammer.

This invention also can be extended to cover a machine where all thekeys are operated by a hammer key as described above for specialpurposes. The only difierence is that all the keys will be exactly askey 15. The striking of the hammer key can bemade automatic in anelectric machine by actioning the tripping mechanism of the hammer keyto the universal bar, or to the segment itself or in many other waysoutside the scope of this invention.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserve to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent i. In a typewriter includingtype-bars, a ribbon carrier, a ribbon and a ribbon actuating lever, atype fixedly carried by the upper end of one of the type-bars, said typeon its striking face carryingat least one straight type line, and ahammer fixedly carried by another of the type-bars at the upper-endthereof and adapted to strike the rear face of said head, whereby tostrike at least one continuous line across the page upon successiveactuations of the type-bar carrying said hammer, and a hook carried bythe type-bar carrying'said type head, the typewriter ribbon carrierhaving an opening adapted to releasably receive the end of said hookwhen said carrier is raised whereby to retain the ribbon in an operativeposition.

2. In a typewriter including type-bars, a ribbon carrier, a ribbon and aribbon actuating lever, an enlarged type fixedly carried at the upperend of one of the type bars, said type having a striking face at its endadjacent the platen, a plurality of substantially parallel, horizontal,vertically spaced straight type lines provided in said striking face,the rear end of said type remote from the platen protruding toward thetype basket, and a hammer head fixedly carried on the top of another ofthe type-bars and adapted to strike the protruding end of said typesuccessively whereby to type a plurality of vertically spaced linesacross the paper from side to side, and a hook below said type headconnected to the type-bar, the typewriter ribbon carrier below the guidecomb having an opening adapted to releasably engage the end of said hookwhen said carrier is raised, whereby to retain the ribbon in anoperative position.

3. In a typewriter including type-bars, a ribbon carrier, a ribbon and aribbon actuating lever, a type fixedly carried by the upper end of oneof the type-bars, said type on its striking face carrying at least onestraight type line, the end of said type remote from its striking facebeing reduced and adapted to be received between the upper and lowercase type of any one of the other types whereby to strike at least onecontinuous line across the page upon successive actuations of any of thekeys of the typewriter, and a hook carried by the type-bar carrying saidtype head, the typewriter ribbon carrier having an opening adapted toreleasably receive the end of said hook when said carrier is raisedwhereby to retain the ribbon in an operative position.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein said type comprises five linesand four spaces to reproduce a musical staff.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS WadeFeb. 13, 1917 Manly Aug. 11, 1931 Weniger Oct. 23, 1934 Henry Dec. 30,1941 Bosquet Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 10, 1921

